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Going alcohol-free

How to drink less alcohol

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Kava Variety 12-Pack
Our pickKava Variety 12-Pack$102 · 12 cans
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The most reliable way to drink less is to replace the drink, not just skip it. Pick the moments you usually drink, decide what goes in your hand instead, and make the swap easier than the old habit.

How to drink less at home

  1. Don't keep it cold. Leave alcohol out of the fridge and put your swap there instead.
  2. Pick alcohol-free nights. Start with two or three a week and put them on the calendar.
  3. Keep the ritual. Same glass, same chair, same time. Just a different drink: kava, an elixir, or non-alcoholic beer.
  4. Buy smaller. Singles instead of cases, half bottles instead of full ones.

How to drink less when going out

  1. Decide your number before you leave, and tell a friend.
  2. Alternate: every drink gets a non-alcoholic one after it.
  3. Order first. Get a non-alcoholic drink in hand before anyone offers you one. What to order.
  4. Try a kava bar for a night out that doesn't center on alcohol. What is a kava bar?

What to drink instead

For the after-work drink, kava or a red elixir. For social nights, kanna or a green elixir. If you just miss the taste, non-alcoholic beer. All the alternatives.

If cutting back feels harder than it should, talk to your doctor. That's what they're there for.

Kava Variety 12-Pack
An easy swapKava Variety 12-Pack$102 · 12 cans
Shop at BBCo →

Related: Sober curious drinks · Kratom vs. alcohol · Dry January drink alternatives

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